The present invention relates to a device for training a sequence of movements for ball-hitting implements, especially golf clubs or baseball bats.
In sports in which ball-hitting implements are used, for example golf, generally a complex sequence of movements will be encountered in using these implements. Learning, practicing and monitoring these sequences of movements poses problems for beginners. By incorrect execution of the corresponding movements and inadequate correction of these errors, rapid progress and the associated sense of achievement remain elusive for beginners. Even in players who play these sports professionally, the pertinent monitoring of sequences of movements is regarded as an indispensable prerequisite for good play.
In the past, for checking the sequence of his movements, a player had to enlist another individual to watch and correct him, or to use complex video technology allowing him to examine the execution of his movements subsequently. These measures, whether time with a coach or use of video cameras, is expensive for the player and, if at all, is not always available to him at the desired time. It is furthermore disadvantageous, that when subsequently viewing the recorded video material, the respective player does not have the opportunity to directly correct errors in the sequence of his movements and in particular he does not receive any feedback (biofeedback) about his errors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,901 discloses a golf training device which can be fixed to the upper body of the user by a chest harness. The device itself has two telescoping sleeve parts which are held to be able to travel lengthwise into one another. One telescoping part engages the chest harness. The other telescoping part engages the grip of the golf club. As a result of the rigid arrangement of these telescoping parts which can travel lengthwise into one another and as a result of fixing the training device by the indicated chest harness, the golf-playing user is also greatly hampered in his play during training so that the approach is less feasible for practical applications.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,861,688 and 5,108,103 disclose golf training devices with acoustic feedback. The training device is attached especially to the wrist of the golfer and to the golf club itself in the vicinity of the grip. An elastic resettable connecting part between the wrist and the golf club monitors the centrifugal force situation during the sequence of movements. When the sequence is not ideal, the golfer receives a corresponding error or correction report via an acoustic signal. Since with these devices essentially only correct monitoring of the hand position during the course of the stroke, mispositioning of other body parts, especially with regard to arm posture during the golf stroke, remains ignored. Accordingly, these known devices do not ensure that the entire sequence of movements during the golf swing is practiced correctly to master the entire sequence of movements in this way.
GB-A-988 796 and GB-A-2 336 787 disclose establishing a connection between a golf glove or the club grip and the shoulder or the upper arm of a golfer of bands and loops. The bands and loops are designed to capture the centrifugal forces during the swing and deliver feedback about the correct sequence of movements to the user. In the golf training device of GB-A-2 336 787, only one-hand training motion is possible, with the other hand being kept stationary by the user on the upper body. The training device touches the shoulder of GB-A-988 796. By a resettable force means, another band is placed under the opposite shoulder of the other arm of the user. During the stroke motion, the shoulder band cannot unintentionally slip down. With the known training device, the user can carry a golf bag or the like supported by the shoulders of the user. In particular, this mitigates tiresome carrying on longer golf courses. The training effect with these known devices is likewise rather small. If only one hand or one arm is correctly trained for a sequence of movements, this training does not apply to the sequence of movements with the two stroking hands of a user, as experience indicates.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,926 discloses a golf training device which engages between the wrist and the upper arm of the user. Fixing possibilities in this regard are closing bands between which extend two telescoping sleeve parts. The parts fit into one another with a lengthwise travel capacity on their facing ends. The telescoping part facing the wrist has a slotted guide. The other telescoping part on its outside periphery has a fixing aid with a movable chain. This arrangement permits monitoring the bending motion of the arms during the stroke such that overbending cannot occur. An unintentional motion is intercepted by the chain of one telescoping part which then fits into the slotted part of the other telescoping part in an obstructing manner. A certain pattern of movement can only be partially monitored, specifically any overbending of the arm posture during the sequence of movements so that the entire sequence of movements during a golf swing cannot be properly monitored and trained in this way.
Objects of the present invention are to provide a player with a simple and economical aid for directly noting and correcting errors in the sequence of his movements when hitting the ball, without being reliant on the assistance of third parties or on complex video recording technology.
The foregoing objects are basically obtained by monitoring means having at least two component parts detachable from one another and interactable with one another by a force means. In this manner, at least at the start and end of the sequence of movements, the detachment of the component parts is obstructed or their joining takes place in an accelerated manner. The force means opposes the centrifugal force during the swinging motion with the ball-hitting implement. Both the detachment of the component parts and the later joining deliver an acoustic signal to the user to reliably indicate to him at least the start and end of the sequence of movements. At least in the preparation of the hitting phase in which the ball-hitting implement hits the ball, for a correctly maintained sequence of movements, the centrifugal forces are so great that a visible and perceptible separation of the component parts takes place after passing through the obstruction. The separation provides the user, in the sense of biofeedback or feedback, with a monitoring possibility for correctly passing through the desired movement. Especially in the critical transition area between the actual starting phase of the stroke and the later hitting phase, the monitoring means is in action and delivers the required feedback for the desired correct sequence of movements.
The device of the present invention is fixed on the one hand on the hitting implement, preferably in the area of the transition between the other part of the implement and the grip of the implement, and on the other on the upper arm of the user, preferably in the area above the elbow joint, for righthanders the upper left arm, and for lefthanders preferably the upper right arm. While carrying out the actual swinging motion for producing the ball-hitting force, the centrifugal forces, occurring in the system of the implement, the user and the device, are used to trigger the monitoring means. Depending on its respective system state, the monitoring means relays feedback to the user who evaluates the pertinent feedback to learn the correct sequence of movements with the ball-hitting implement.
In one preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention, the monitoring means has at least two component parts which can be detached from one another and which interact with one another by a force means. At least at the start and end of the sequence of movements, the detachment of the component parts is obstructed or their joining takes place in an accelerated manner. The force means consequently opposes the centrifugal force. Both the detachment of the component parts and the later joining deliver an acoustic signal to the user to reliably indicate to him at least the start and end of the sequence of movements. At least in the preparation of the hitting phase in which the ball-hitting implement meets the ball, for a correctly maintained sequence of movements the centrifugal forces are so great that a visible and perceptible separation of the component parts takes place after passing through the obstruction to provide the user, in the sense of biofeedback or feedback, with a monitoring possibility for correctly passing through the desired sequence of movements. Especially in the critical transition area between the actual starting phase of the stroke and the later hitting phase, the monitoring means is effective and delivers the required feedback for the desired correct sequence of movements.
In one especially preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention, the force applied by the force means tries to keep the component parts permanently in contact with one another. The amount of force can be preset by an adjustment means. The adjustment means makes it possible, within definable limits, to adapt the device to the biophysical circumstances of the respective user so that the device can be used for children, adolescents and adults, even without major changes of a structural type.
In another especially preferred embodiment of the device of the present invention, the component parts in each of their positions relative to one another are joined to one another by a connecting means. As part of the force means, the connecting means applies a reset force to the component parts. In this way, in the area of the end phase or the so-called finish in which the hitting phase ends after hitting the ball, the monitoring means will again assume its original system state in which the component parts adjoin one another to obstruct the travel through a following sequence of movements again. The indicated reset force in the so-called finish range causes the two component parts of the monitoring means to be audibly brought together to notify the user acoustically of the end of the swinging motion. The device is then available to the user to be used again.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.